About the Instructors

Giuseppe Canale

Scott Heinrich

Giuseppe Canale is an internationally recognized ballet dancer, choreographer, instructor and coach. Born in Palermo, Italy, he began his dance training at age 11 under the direction of Ludovico Durst. He then trained at the National Academy of Dance in Rome, as well as Maurice Bejart's famous Mudra dance school in Brussels, and has taken master classes at the School of American Ballet in New York. Giuseppe is a certified teacher for the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum from Primary through Level 7 and Partnering.

He has toured extensively as a dancer with such companies as Ballet Company of Germinal Casado (West Germany), Ballet Company Jean Deroc (Switzerland). He also danced professionally with the Het Nationale Ballet in the Netherlands. He has toured all over Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, and has choreographed works for Het National Ballet and Teatro Massimo.

In 1994, the Mayor of Palermo invited him to return to his native home to serve as Director of corps de ballet for Teatro Massimo - a company which had been abandoned for over 20 years. As Director, he revived the company and revitalized the theater's repertoire. he worked closely with the 30 dancers - restoring confidence and motivation lost to years of inactivity and bringing in well-known dancers and choreographers. Within one year, the company had presented an outstanding performance, and Giuseppe was publicly congratulated by the President of Italy. As Director, Giuseppe also spearheaded multiple arts outreach programs for Sicilian children with little or no dance exposure.

Since moving to the United States, Giuseppe has become the Co-Director of the Northeast Academy of Dance in Oscoda, Michigan, where he brings his passion for dance to the youth in the area. He has appeared as judge at the Luxembourg International Ballet Competition, and as a judge/guest teacher for the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Dance Competitions in Chicago and New York City.

In 2004, he began teaching and choreographing for the American Ballet Theatre summer program. He has been a private coach for students from the School of American Ballet, a guest teacher for The Dutch National Ballet (Het Nationale) in Amsterdam and has taught additional classes for Alpena Community College.  Giuseppe has been cited by the American Guild of Music Artists as having extraordinary ability in the field of dance.

Scott Heinrich began his studies in music and later started dancing at the late age of 22. He received his BAA degree in music fromCentral Michigan University and began his dance studies with Jean Marc and Dafna Baier at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. He has worked professionally for Ballet Michigan, The Netherlands Opera, The Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company of Israel, The Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, and as a soloist for Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Italy. He served as a teacher for the Kibbutz Companyand has also taught as a guest lecturer at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Other teaching includes the Flint Institute of Arts,The Young People's Ballet Theatre in Flint, and for Alpena Community College. Scott is a certified teacher for the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum from Primary through Level 3.

He has danced both full length ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, and the Nutcracker, and many contemporary works by choreographers Mats Ek, Rami Ba'er, Jean Marc and Dafna Baier, Roland Petit, Joseph Rusillio, Susana Linke, Loyce Houlton, Giuseppe Canale, Krystof Pastor, and Agnes DeMille. He has also danced in numerous operas in both Holland and Italy.

Since 1997, Scott has co-directed The Northeast Academy of Dance in Oscoda, Michigan. In 1999, he conceived his first Dance/Theater work The Magi-Tour Travel Show for the students. Following that success, he choreographed and original Cinderella and co-choreographed an original Nutcracker. In 2003, Scott choreographed a new work celebrating Great Lakes History entitled Lake Odyssey: Tales and Reflections on Our Maritime Past. Other recent full length productions include Sugar Plum’s Nutcracker Fantasy, 
The Firebird, An Evening with Ravel, The Planets, Bluebeard’s Castle,  The Four Seasons, Iphiginia In Tauris, Pictures At An Exhibition,    The Little Mermaid and Something Grimm.

From 1998 to the present, Scott has been a dancer with Dafmark Dance Theater in Erie Pennsylvania. This small modern touring company has made its reputation by creating works that make a comment on the human condition. Scott has performed in Duende: When Carmen met Lorca, From Dust to Ashes and The Four Seasons I & II, Unsilenced Voices, Fallen Trees, and Knock, Knock Wh0 There? -Shakespeare in Motion! among others. He made his choreographic debut with the company in 2005 & 2009 with the pieces Fallen and Figaro.